Medical News Today spoke to a registered nurse whose regular day job is looking after patients on psychiatric units. Now, he finds himself caring for people with COVID-19, as well as patients on other wards.
Joe, who asked us not to include his surname, is a registered nurse working in a hospital in the Chicago suburbs. He usually works on an inpatient psychiatric unit.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Joe and his fellow nurses were asked to take on roles in other departments, including caring for patients with the disease.
In this interview, Joe tells us about his work, gives his view on how the pandemic is already taking a toll on mental health and how it will likely continue to do so, and describes how he tries to unwind after his shifts.
Joe also shares two things he wants everyone to know about COVID-19.
MNT: How has your job changed in the past few weeks?
Joe: The hospitals are trying to accommodate the COVID-19 cases by pulling nurses from a variety of departments and ensure they provide adequate training to care for people with COVID-19. We are planning for a surge and want to be ready.
I usually work in adult inpatient psychiatry, but due to the staffing demands caused by the increasing numbers of COVID-19 patients, the hospital asked me, and many others, to rotate and train in different departments.
MNT: What was your last shift at work like?
Joe: It’s hard to describe and give an accurate description of what goes on in one shift. But I will try.
The last time I worked on a COVID-19 unit, it was a med-surgical floor, which is now dedicated to treating only COVID-19 patients. On that day, we discharged someone who was getting better to go home to self-quarantine. However, we also witnessed a patient’s family saying goodbye over a video conference because they couldn’t visit.
The person later passed away. So, it’s a really hard time right now. It’s hard to anticipate. What has been consistent, though, is that everyone is doing their best.
MNT: That sounds really hard and very different from your regular day job. Is your hospital doing anything to help prepare you for this very different way of working?
Joe: If you’re feeling unsafe or feeling like it’s too much, the hospital has been doing a good job of providing additional training and giving all the support needed. It’s not easy, but it’s what has to be right now.
MNT: Do you feel safe when you are at work?
Joe: Yes, I do.
MNT: How quickly has the situation changed in your hospital?
Joe: It was probably 3–4 weeks ago, right around when the stay-at-home orders came out. The number of COVID-19 patients has been continually increasing over the last 3 weeks.
MNT: Do you have enough capacity to take in increasing numbers of patients?
Joe: Thankfully, so far, we do. We can accommodate all these patients by expanding into different departments, but there is going to be a point when there is not enough room. We haven’t hit that point yet.
MNT: Because your job has changed so much, are you ever reluctant to go to work?
Joe: All of this has happened so fast. I am not reluctant to go to work; I want to do my part to help be part of the solution to this pandemic.
It is, however, stressful. I find myself out of my comfort zone, working on a different unit than I usually do. But I have been working with some amazing nurses. Everyone is doing their part to help.
MNT: What do you do when you get home? How do you switch off?
Joe: I like outdoor activities, just being able to be outside. I have been avoiding large groups and public places, but being alone outdoors helps me relax.
At the moment, we are still able to be outside where I live, as long as it’s not in large groups. But this could change at any time. Hopefully, it doesn’t get to that point.
MNT: As someone who usually works in psychiatric units, how do you see this pandemic affecting the mental health of your patients, your colleagues, and also the wider community?
Joe: Well, unfortunately, there’s a lot of anxiety. This is a traumatic experience for every person in the world, in a sense. So I foresee an increase in cases of psychiatric admissions following this.
We are already seeing people coming into the inpatient psychiatric units with paranoia, anxiety, and depression-r